Fan frame

ABSTRACT

A fan frame includes a frame body, a base, and a plurality of supporting members. The base is disposed in the frame body, and the supporting members are disposed annularly at the periphery of the base and connected the base and the frame body. Each of the supporting members has a body portion and a descending portion. A top side of the descending portion is facing the upwind surface of the frame body, and the descending portion is located between the body portion and the frame body. The ratio of the minimum height of the descending portion to the maximum height of the body portion is between 0.82 and 0.92.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 201710494725.4 filed in People's Republic of China on Jun. 26, 2017, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The present disclosure relates to a fan frame having a supporting member configured with a descending portion.

Related Art

In the electronic device, a heat-dissipation module is configured to dissipate the heat, and a fan is configured to directly or indirectly carry the heat away. Accordingly, the performance of the fan can sufficiently affect the performance expression of the heat dissipation of the electronic device. When the fan operates, the blades are rotated in high speed to generate an airflow, and the airflow hits the fan frame to generate the noise. This is the major noise source. However, the flow field inside the fan is very complex. In particular, the airflow may have overflow and backflow at the gap between the tail of the blade and the outer frame. The flow field inside the fan frame will be affected by the turbulence of the airflow, thereby reducing the performance of the fan and increasing the noise of the fan.

In order to reduce the noise, the supporting members of the fan frame can be designed with the same height or gradual increase in height, or the inner side of the fan frame is configured with additional grooves. For example, the top edge of the supporting member can have a groove, a hole or a cut off portion for disturbing the airflow to reduce the operation noise. However, the above method for reducing the noise by destroying the structure of the supporting member may sufficiently decrease the structural strength of the supporting member, which can affect the quality of the fan frame and decrease the lifetime of the fan. Therefore, it is an important subject to achieve the goal of reducing the operation noise of the fan without destroying the structure of the supporting member and remaining the structural strength thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the disclosure is to provide a fan frame having a supporting member with a descending portion at the tail thereof. This configuration can sufficiently reduce the airflow impact and friction, lower the operation noise, keep the airflow speed, focus the airflow, and remain the entire structure of the supporting member as well as the structural strength thereof, thereby improving the performance of the fan.

To achieve the above objective, the present disclosure provides a fan frame, which includes a frame body, a base and a plurality of supporting members. The base is disposed in the frame body, and the supporting members are disposed annularly at a periphery of the base and connected the base and the frame body. Each of the supporting members has a body portion and a descending portion. A top side of the descending portion is facing an upwind surface of the frame body, and the descending portion is located between the body portion and the frame body. A ratio of a minimum height of the descending portion to a maximum height of the body portion is between 0.82 and 0.92.

In one embodiment, the ratio of the minimum height of the descending portion to the maximum height of the body portion is between 0.85 and 0.88.

In one embodiment, a ratio of a radius distance between a center of the frame body and a junction of the body portion and the descending portion to a minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and an outer wall of the frame body is between 0.8 and 0.95.

In one embodiment, a ratio of a radius distance between a center of the frame body and a junction of the body portion and the descending portion to a minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and an outer wall of the frame body is 0.9.

In one embodiment, the supporting member is a static blade or a rib.

In one embodiment, the top side of the descending portion is an arc structure, a curved structure, an oblique line structure, or a polyline structure.

In one embodiment, two opposite sides of the body portion have a parallel structure, a right-trapezoid structure, or an acute-trapezoid structure.

In one embodiment, the supporting member further includes an end portion connecting the descending portion and the frame body, and one side of the end portion is a plane structure.

In addition, the disclosure further provides a fan frame, which includes a frame body, a base and a plurality of supporting members. The base is disposed in the frame body, and the supporting members are disposed annularly at a periphery of the base and connected the base and the frame body. Each of the supporting members has a body portion and a descending portion. A top side of the descending portion is facing an upwind surface of the frame body, and the descending portion is located between the body portion and the frame body. A ratio of a radius distance between a center of the frame body and a junction of the body portion and the descending portion to a minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and an outer wall of the frame body is between 0.8 and 0.95.

In one embodiment, the ratio of the radius distance between the center of the frame body and the junction of the body portion and the descending portion to the minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and the outer wall of the frame body is 0.9.

In one embodiment, a ratio of a minimum height of the descending portion to a maximum height of the body portion is between 0.82 and 0.92.

In one embodiment, the ratio of the minimum height of the descending portion to the maximum height of the body portion is between 0.85 and 0.88.

In one embodiment, the supporting member is a static blade or a rib.

In one embodiment, the top side of the descending portion is an arc structure, a curved structure, an oblique line structure, or a polyline structure.

In one embodiment, two opposite sides of the body portion have a parallel structure, a right-trapezoid structure, or an acute-trapezoid structure.

In one embodiment, the supporting member further includes an end portion connecting the descending portion and the frame body, and one side of the end portion is a plane structure.

As mentioned above, the fan frame of this disclosure has supporting members with a descending portion at the tail thereof. This configuration can remain the entire structure of the fan frame and the structural strength thereof. Besides, the design of the descending portion can reduce the airflow impact and friction as the blades rotate in high speed, decrease the turbulence of the airflow to keep the airflow speed, and focus the airflow, thereby decreasing the operation noise and improving the performance of the fan.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the subsequent detailed description and accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present disclosure, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fan frame according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the fan frame of FIG. 1 along the line A-A;

FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the fan frame of FIG. 2A; and

FIGS. 3A to 3D are schematic diagrams showing different aspects of the descending portions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fan frame according to an embodiment of the disclosure, FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the fan frame of FIG. 1 along the line A-A, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the fan frame of FIG. 2A.

In this embodiment, a fan frame 1 includes a frame body 11, a base 12 and a plurality of supporting members 13. The base 12 is disposed in the frame body 11. The supporting members 13 are disposed annularly at a periphery of the base 12 and connected the base 12 and the frame body 11. Each supporting member 13 has a body portion 131 and a descending portion 132, and the descending portion 132 is located between the body portion 131 and the frame body 11. A top side T of the descending portion 132 is facing an upwind surface of the frame body 11. In addition, the supporting member 13 further includes an end portion 133 connecting the descending portion 132 and the frame body 11, and one side of the end portion 133 is a plane structure.

In this embodiment, the supporting member 13 can be a static blade or a rib. Two opposite sides of the body portion 131 of the supporting member 13 have a parallel structure, a right-trapezoid structure, or an acute-trapezoid structure. In more detailed, the two sides of the body portion 131 can be parallel to each other (parallel structure). Alternatively, one side of the body portion 131 is vertical, and the other side of the body portion 131 is a slant line and gradually away from the side of the body portion 131 (right-trapezoid structure). The two sides of the body portion 131 are slant lines and gradually away from each other (acute-trapezoid structure). As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the two sides of the body portion 131 of this embodiment have a parallel structure.

The height change of the supporting members 13 along the horizontal direction (radius direction) will be defined hereinafter. The supporting member 13 of the fan frame 1 includes a body portion 131, a descending portion 132 and an end portion 133 in order along the radius direction. The supporting member 13 extends from the base 12 and has a descending design around the frame body 11, and the tail of the supporting member 13 turns to be horizontal after the descending part and connects to the frame body 11. The body portion 131 extends from the point B0 (the junction between the supporting member 13 and the base 12) to the point B1 (the junction between the body portion 131 and the descending portion 132). In other words, the part between the points B0 and B1 of the supporting member 13 is the body portion 131. In addition, the supporting member 13 has a descending portion 132 close to the frame body 11, and the shape of the descending portion 132 can define a lowest point B2. The part between the points B1 and B2 of the supporting member 13 is the descending portion 132.

The end portion 133 is located from the lowest point B2 of the descending portion 132 to the point B3 (the junction between the end portion 133 and the inner wall of the frame body 11). In other words, the part between the points B2 and B3 of the supporting member 13 is the end portion 133. In this embodiment, the supporting member 13 is connected to the frame body 11 at a height substantially the same as the lowest point B2 of the descending portion 132. Accordingly, the height of the end portion 133 is substantially equal to the height of the lowest point B2 of the descending portion 132. As mentioned above, the supporting member 13 has a height change design, but the entire structure of the supporting member 13 is not destroyed. Thus, the structural strength of the supporting member 13 can be remained.

The height change design of the descending portion 132 of the supporting member 13 can reduce the airflow impact and friction, thereby achieving the effect of decreasing the operation noise of the fan. The feature of the height change of the descending portion 132 will be further described hereinafter. In this embodiment, a ratio of a minimum height h of the descending portion 132 to a maximum height H of the body portion 131 is between 0.82 and 0.92. In practice, the effect of decreasing the noise can be obtained by designing the height drop of the descending portion 132 to be 0.8˜0.18 of the height H of the body portion 131. Preferably, the ratio of the minimum height h of the descending portion 132 to the maximum height H of the body portion 131 is between 0.85 and 0.88. Herein, the effect of decreasing the noise can be obtained by designing the height drop of the descending portion 132 to be 0.12˜0.15 of the height H of the body portion 131. This configuration can change the turbulence of the flow field and obviously decrease the noise.

As mentioned above, the minimum height h of the descending portion 132 is the height h of the lowest point B2 of the descending portion 132, and the maximum height H of the body portion 131 is substantially the height H of the point B1 (the junction of the body portion 131 and the descending portion 132). In other embodiments, the minimum height h of the descending portion 132 and the maximum height H of the body portion 131 can be different depending on the shape of the supporting member 13. In addition, the height drop of the descending portion 132 is about 0.8˜0.18, and the minimum height h of the descending portion 132 is between 0.82 and 0.92 of the maximum height H of the body portion 131. The descending portion 132 remains mostly the height of the supporting member 13, so that the entire structure of the supporting member 13 is not destroyed, thereby remaining the structural strength of the supporting member 13 and increasing the lifetime of the fan.

The detailed features of the starting point of the descending portion 132 (around the junction B1 between the body portion 131 and the descending portion 132) will be described hereinafter. In this embodiment, a ratio of a radius distance d between a center C of the frame body 11 and a junction B1 of the body portion 131 and the descending portion 132 to a minimum radius distance D between the center C of the frame body 11 and an outer wall of the frame body 11, i.e. d to D, is between 0.8 and 0.95. In other words, the starting point of the descending portion 132 is configured at the place departed from the center C of the frame body 11 by 0.8˜0.95 of the distance D along the radius direction. In a preferred embodiment, the ratio of the radius distance d between the center C of the frame body 11 and the junction B1 of the body portion 131 and the descending portion 132 to the minimum radius distance D between the center C of the frame body 11 and the outer wall of the frame body 11 is 0.9. In other words, the starting point of the descending portion 132 is configured at the place departed from the center C of the frame body 11 by 0.9 of the distance D along the radius direction. Herein, the starting point of the descending portion 132 only relates to the minimum radius distance D departed from the outer wall of the frame body 11, and the wall thickness of the frame body 11 does not affect the starting point of the descending portion 132 and the ability for reducing noise thereof. Based on the design of the starting point of the descending portion 132 as well as different flow field requirements inside the fan frame, the flow field can be focused, the airflow speed can be kept, the generated airflow impact and friction as the blades rotate in high speed can be reduced, and the turbulence of the airflow can be decreased to maintain the airflow speed, thereby increasing the performance of the fan and decreasing the operation noise.

The shape of the descending portion 132 can be designed depending on different flow fields and the fan frame 1. As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, in this embodiment, the top side T of the descending portion can be an arc structure 132 a (FIG. 3A), a curved structure 132 b (FIG. 3B), an oblique line structure 132 c (FIG. 3C), or a polyline structure 132 d (FIG. 3D). The top side T of the descending portion 132 is the side of the supporting member 13 receiving the impact of airflow (the upwind surface of the supporting member 13). In this embodiment, the height drop of the descending portion 132 is about 0.8˜0.18, the minimum height h of the descending portion 132 is about 0.82˜0.92 of the maximum height H of the body portion 131, and the starting point of the descending portion 132 is configured at the place departed from the center C of the frame body 11 by 0.8˜0.95 of the distance D along the radius direction. According to the above conditions, the descending portion can be designed with the desired shape depending on different flow field and fan frame. This configuration of the descending portion can remain the structural strength of the supporting member and reduce the turbulence of the airflow so as to decrease the operation noise.

In summary, the fan frame of this disclosure has supporting members with a descending portion at the tail thereof. This configuration can remain the entire structure of the fan frame and the structural strength thereof. Besides, the designs of the starting point, height and shape of the descending portion can reduce the airflow impact and friction as the blades rotate in high speed, decrease the turbulence of the airflow to keep the airflow speed, and focus the airflow, thereby decreasing the operation noise and improving the performance of the fan.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the present disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan frame, comprising: a frame body; a base, disposed in the frame body; and a plurality of supporting members, disposed annularly at a periphery of the base and connected the base and the frame body, wherein each of the supporting members has a body portion and a descending portion, a top side of the descending portion is facing an upwind surface of the frame body, and the descending portion is located between the body portion and the frame body; wherein a ratio of a minimum height of the descending portion to a maximum height of the body portion is between 0.82 and 0.92.
 2. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the minimum height of the descending portion to the maximum height of the body portion is between 0.85 and 0.88.
 3. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a radius distance between a center of the frame body and a junction of the body portion and the descending portion to a minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and an outer wall of the frame body is between 0.8 and 0.95.
 4. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a radius distance between a center of the frame body and a junction of the body portion and the descending portion to a minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and an outer wall of the frame body is 0.9.
 5. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the supporting member is a static blade or a rib.
 6. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the top side of the descending portion is an arc structure, a curved structure, an oblique line structure, or a polyline structure.
 7. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein two opposite sides of the body portion have a parallel structure, a right-trapezoid structure, or an acute-trapezoid structure.
 8. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the supporting member further comprises an end portion connecting the descending portion and the frame body, and one side of the end portion is a plane structure.
 9. A fan frame, comprising: a frame body; a base, disposed in the frame body; and a plurality of supporting members, disposed annularly at a periphery of the base and connected the base and the frame body, wherein each of the supporting members has a body portion and a descending portion, a top side of the descending portion is facing an upwind surface of the frame body, and the descending portion is located between the body portion and the frame body; wherein a ratio of a radius distance between a center of the frame body and a junction of the body portion and the descending portion to a minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and an outer wall of the frame body is between 0.8 and 0.95.
 10. The fan frame of claim 9, wherein the ratio of the radius distance between the center of the frame body and the junction of the body portion and the descending portion to the minimum radius distance between the center of the frame body and the outer wall of the frame body is 0.9.
 11. The fan frame of claim 9, wherein the supporting member is a static blade or a rib.
 12. The fan frame of claim 9, wherein the top side of the descending portion is an arc structure, a curved structure, an oblique line structure, or a polyline structure.
 13. The fan frame of claim 9, wherein two opposite sides of the body portion have a parallel structure, a right-trapezoid structure, or an acute-trapezoid structure.
 14. The fan frame of claim 9, wherein the supporting member further comprises an end portion connecting the descending portion and the frame body, and one side of the end portion is a plane structure. 